Contact us

UNITED CARIBBEAN TRUST- CODRINGTON, CHRISTOPHER (1668-1710),

Christopher Codrington was a British soldier and colonial governor, whose father was captain-general of the Leeward Isles, he was born in the island of Barbados, in 1668. Educated at Christ Church, Oxford, he was elected a fellow of All Souls, and served with the British forces in Flanders, where he was honoured with captaincy in the Guards.

In 1668 he attended King William III. on his visit to Oxford, and was chosen to deliver the University oration.

In 1697, on the death of his father, he was appointed captain-general and commander-in-chief of the Leeward Isles.

In 1703 he commanded the unsuccessful British expedition against Guadeloupe. After this he resigned his governorship, and spent the rest of his life in retirement and study on his Barbados estates.

He died on the 7th of April 1710, bequeathing these estates to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts for the foundation of a college in Barbados. This college, known as the Codrington college, was built in 1714-1742. To All Souls College, Oxford, he bequeathed books worth 6000 and 10,000 in money, out of which was built and endowed the Codrington library there.

Permission requested to use information from http://www.cavehill.uwi.edu

Codrington College offers training for candidates to the sacred Priesthood. In addition the College continually seeks ways in which to serve the Church and the wider community. The College has recently moved towards a MA Degree in Theology. The College is located in the Diocese Of Barbados of which, until recently, the Right Reverend Rufus Brome was Bishop. An election will be held shortly to choose his successor.

Situated in beautiful and tranquil surroundings on the Atlantic Coast of Barbados, Dr. Bindley, a former Principal, was once moved to describe it as 'Oxford adapted to the tropics.'

History

Codrington College is the oldest Anglican Theological College in the Western Hemisphere. It was established by the will of General Christopher Codrington who died in 1710. On 9th September 1745, Codrington College was opened as grammar school, this was the first step along a road that is marked with commendable academic achievements. By the year 1829, Codrington had become a full-fledged College, a step closer to the realization of the hope of its founder Christopher Codrington whose desire it was to have an academic institution in which persons could be trained in 'Physics and Chirugery as well as Divinity.' In 1831 the College was almost totally destroyed by a hurricane, after which the present building was constructed.

Since its affiliation to the University of Durham, England in 1875, it has maintained high academic standards. In 1955 with the opening of the University College of the West Indies, the Classical Faculty of the College was closed. The College became an affiliate of the University of the West Indies in 1965, preparing candidates for the Licentiate in Theology (L Th) and the Bachelor of Arts (BA) (Theology).

The United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI) (comprising several former independent colleges in Jamaica) was established in 1966 and, shortly afterwards, became affiliated with the University of the West Indies. The other Theological Colleges affiliated to UWI are: St. Michael's Theological Centre in Jamaica and the St. John Vianney in Trinidad.

Graduates in Theology of the University have pursued further studies in institutions abroad and have achieved high academic distinctions which have reflected both their own worth as well as the standard of training which they have received at the Theological Colleges affiliated to UWI.